Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 2.5 lb bone-in chicken pieces
- 12 cups water
- 1 oz dried shrimp; 6 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 large onion, halved; 3-inch piece ginger, halved
- 1 tsp rock sugar; 1.5 tbsp fish sauce; 1.5 tsp fine sea salt
- 10 oz dried thin rice vermicelli (bun)
- 4 large eggs; 1 tsp cornstarch; pinch salt
- 6 oz Vietnamese pork cold cuts (giò lụa), thinly sliced
- 4 scallions; 1 cup mixed herbs (cilantro, rau ram, perilla optional); 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 4 lime wedges; ground black or white pepper; Thai chili (optional)
- Optional: shrimp paste (mắm tôm), garlic vinegar
Do This
- 1. Soak shiitakes (hot water, 20–30 min) and dried shrimp (warm water, 10 min). Char onion and ginger.
- 2. Simmer chicken in 12 cups water; skim. Add onion, ginger, shrimp; simmer gently 35 min. Remove chicken; continue simmer 25–30 min.
- 3. Strain broth; add strained mushroom soaking liquid. Season with fish sauce, salt, rock sugar; keep hot.
- 4. Beat eggs with cornstarch and salt; cook thin crepes; roll and julienne into fine ribbons.
- 5. Shred chicken; slice giò lụa and shiitakes. Make quick scallion oil in neutral oil.
- 6. Boil vermicelli 3–4 min; drain. Portion in bowls; top with chicken, egg, giò lụa, mushrooms; ladle hot broth; garnish with herbs, pepper, lime.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Delicately layered flavors: clear, savory chicken broth with gentle sweetness from dried shrimp and charred aromatics.
- Beautiful textures: silky noodles, fine egg ribbons, tender chicken, and bouncy giò lụa.
- Fresh and customizable: finish with herbs, lime, and optional shrimp paste to taste.
- Restaurant-worthy presentation that’s absolutely achievable in a home kitchen.
Grocery List
- Produce: Onion, ginger, scallions, cilantro, Vietnamese coriander (rau ram), perilla (optional), limes, Thai chilies (optional), garlic.
- Dairy: Eggs.
- Pantry: Thin rice vermicelli, fish sauce, rock sugar (or white sugar), fine sea salt, ground pepper, neutral oil, dried shrimp, dried shiitake mushrooms, shrimp paste (mắm tôm, optional), white vinegar; from the meat/deli counter: 2.5 lb bone-in chicken, 6 oz Vietnamese pork cold cuts (giò lụa).
Full Ingredients
Broth Base
- 2.5 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (legs, thighs, or a half chicken)
- 12 cups cold water
- 1 oz (28 g) dried shrimp, rinsed
- 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed (reserve for toppings; keep soaking liquid)
- 1 large yellow onion, halved (skin on)
- 1 piece fresh ginger (3 inches / ~60 g), halved lengthwise
- 1 tsp yellow rock sugar (or 1 tsp white sugar)
- 1.5 tbsp fish sauce
- 1.5 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
Egg Omelet (Julienned)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tsp water
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
- 1–2 tsp neutral oil (for the pan)
Toppings
- Cooked shredded chicken (from the broth)
- 6 oz Vietnamese pork cold cuts (giò lụa), cut into very thin matchsticks
- Rehydrated shiitake mushrooms from above, stems removed and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 4 scallions, finely sliced (whites for oil, greens for garnish)
- Fresh herbs: 1 cup loosely packed mix of cilantro leaves, Vietnamese coriander (rau ram), and perilla (tía tô, optional), finely sliced
- Freshly ground black or white pepper
Noodles & Garnishes
- 10 oz dried thin rice vermicelli (bun)
- 4 lime wedges
- Thai bird chilies, thinly sliced (optional)
Optional Table Condiments
- Shrimp paste (mắm tôm), thinned with a little hot broth and lime, to taste
- Quick garlic-chili vinegar: 2 tbsp white vinegar + 1 clove garlic (sliced) + 1 small chili (sliced)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Soak dried ingredients and char aromatics
Place the dried shiitake mushrooms in 1.5 cups hot water; soak 20–30 minutes until softened. Strain and reserve the soaking liquid. Soak the dried shrimp in 1 cup warm water for 10 minutes; drain and set aside.
Char the onion and ginger: hold them over a gas flame or broil on a baking sheet on high for 5–7 minutes, turning until lightly blackened in spots. Rinse off loose soot.
Step 2: Simmer a clear, savory chicken broth
In a large pot, add the chicken and 12 cups cold water. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat (avoid a rolling boil), skimming off foam as it rises. Add the charred onion, charred ginger, and drained dried shrimp. Partially cover and maintain a gentle simmer at about 185–195°F for 35 minutes.
Lift out the chicken and set aside to cool. Continue simmering the broth with the aromatics for 25–30 minutes to deepen flavor. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean pot. Carefully pour in the strained mushroom soaking liquid, leaving any grit behind. Season with 1 tsp rock sugar, 1.5 tbsp fish sauce, and 1.5 tsp salt. Keep the broth hot over low heat.
Step 3: Make the fine omelet ribbons
Whisk eggs with the cornstarch slurry, 1/8 tsp salt, and fish sauce (if using) until smooth. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low and lightly oil it. Pour in just enough egg to coat the surface in a thin layer, swirl, and cook 30–45 seconds per side until set but not browned. Repeat to make 3–4 thin crepes. Stack, roll tightly, and slice into very fine 1/8-inch ribbons.
Step 4: Prep toppings and scallion oil
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin (optional) and shred the meat into fine strips. Cut the giò lụa into very thin matchsticks. Squeeze excess moisture from the shiitakes and slice thinly.
Make scallion oil: in a small pan, warm 2 tbsp neutral oil over low heat. Add the white parts of 2 sliced scallions and cook 60–90 seconds until just fragrant and sizzling; remove from heat. Reserve the green parts for garnish. Toss the sliced mushrooms with 1 tsp of the scallion oil and a pinch of salt.
Step 5: Cook and portion the noodles
Bring 3–4 quarts of water to a boil. Add the dried rice vermicelli and cook 3–4 minutes until just tender. Drain and briefly rinse under warm water to remove excess starch. Divide noodles among 4 warmed bowls (about 2.5 oz dried noodles per bowl). Drizzle each portion with 1 tsp scallion oil to keep noodles from sticking.
Step 6: Assemble the bowls
Neatly arrange small mounds of shredded chicken, omelet ribbons, giò lụa, and sliced mushrooms over the noodles, keeping each component separate for that classic Hanoi look. Ladle 2–2.5 cups of steaming hot broth into each bowl, letting the broth gently settle the toppings. Finish with scallion greens, cilantro, rau ram/perilla (if using), and a pinch of freshly ground pepper.
Step 7: Finish at the table
Serve immediately with lime wedges. Offer shrimp paste (mắm tôm) thinned with a little hot broth and lime, and/or a splash of garlic-chili vinegar. Add condiments sparingly—the broth should remain delicate and clear.
Pro Tips
- Keep the simmer gentle. Boiling clouds the broth and toughens the chicken.
- Strain the mushroom soaking liquid through a coffee filter or paper towel to avoid grit.
- For ultra-clear broth, chill it and lift off solidified fat before reheating, or clarify with lightly whisked egg white and re-strain.
- Slice everything very fine—egg, giò lụa, herbs—for the signature Bun Thang texture.
- Warm the bowls so the soup stays piping hot at the table.
Variations
- Classic seafood note: Add a small piece of dried squid or cuttlefish to the broth with the shrimp for deeper umami.
- Leftover-friendly: Use shredded cooked turkey or rotisserie chicken, and simmer the carcass for broth.
- Vegetarian: Use a light vegetable-kombu broth, replace giò lụa with pressed tofu matchsticks, and keep the egg ribbons (or omit for vegan).
Storage & Make-Ahead
Broth keeps 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen. Store noodles, herbs, omelet ribbons, mushrooms, and chicken separately for up to 3 days. Reheat broth to just-simmering (not boiling) before serving. Cook noodles fresh or reheat briefly by dunking in boiling water for 5–10 seconds. Assemble bowls to order.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approx. 560 calories; 55 g carbs; 35 g protein; 18 g fat; 3 g fiber; ~1400 mg sodium (varies with fish sauce and added condiments).
